2018 Mail Road Wines Chardonnay Mt. Carmel
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Chardonnay Mt. Carmel Vineyard is aging very slowly, just beginning to exhibit a rounded, honeyed bouquet where brioche-based richness and the remnants of flinty, floral undertones mingle. The palate is refreshingly youthful and elegantly decadent, seamlessly flowing into an expansive, cascading finish with unwavering focus. This is a beautiful showing that makes the 2023 releases tasted alongside it all the more exciting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Neutral barrel for a year, 25% malo, six months in oak. Spontaneous fermentation. Almonds, the scent of spring in the air, and faint white blossom pressed into parchment. Nut-skin texture. Gentle fruit but persistent, sine-curve acidity. A wine with fine-stepped, choreographed structure; beautifully built-in bitterness. This will age. (TC)
Spiced green apple, crushed citrus, sappy herbs, and hints of toasted almonds all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Mount Carmel Vineyard. It's medium to full-bodied and has bright, juicy acidity, superb balance, and a salty, mineral-laced finish. Give bottles a year or two in the cellar and enjoy through 2030+.
The 2018 Chardonnay Carmel Vineyard shows all of the phenolic intensity that is typical of this Sta. Rita Hills site. Lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers and chamomile are some of the many aromas and flavors that come alive in the glass. As with the Pinot, the Chardonnay is powerful and yet also remarkably translucent. The 2018 spent 12 months in oak followed by 6 months in steel, a classic Burgundian aging regime.